At the present day, a portable terminal provides various services and has multiple functions. Consequently, a shape and an operation method of the portable terminal have become diversified. For example, in the portable terminal with two rectangular-shaped cases, a closed state, a screen vertically long state, or a screen horizontally long state is selectively used. The closed state is a state in which two cases entirely overlap each other. The closed state is suitable for carrying it or at the time of being unused. The screen vertically long state is a state in which a screen is used in a vertically long direction. The screen vertically long state is suitable when a communication function or a mail function is used. The screen horizontally long state is a state in which the screen is used in a horizontally long direction. The screen horizontally long state is suitable for one-segment viewing and full browser operation.
A portable terminal whose state can be changed as mentioned above is disclosed in, for example, patent document 1 and patent document 2.
In the portable terminal described in patent document 1, a connection structure is fixed on one of the cases and it includes a guide plate, a slide plate, a rotating hinge member, rotational position restriction means, and rotation angle restriction means. The guide plate is formed along a longitudinal direction of one of the cases. The slide plate is disposed so as to face the guide plate. The slide plate can slide along the longitudinal direction of the guide plate. The rotating hinge member is fixed on the other case. The rotating hinge member is rotatably accommodated between the guide plate and the slide plate. The rotational position restriction means restrict a position at which the rotating hinge member, the slide plate, and the guide plate can rotate. The rotation angle restriction means restrict a range of an angle of relative rotation among the rotating hinge member, the slide plate and the guide plate.
A portable terminal described in patent document 2 has a hinge structure including a slide rail, an intermediate body, a fixing section, and a rotation connection section. The slide rail is fixed on an overlay surface of a first case. The intermediate body engages with the slide rail and slides on the slide rail. The fixing section is fixed on the overlay surface of a second case. The rotation connection section connects the fixing section to the intermediate body such that the fixing section can rotate.
The invention related to patent documents 1 and 2 is described in for example, patent documents 3, 4, and 5.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-049294
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-092264
Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-320549
Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-177898
Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-035022